Information restricted in Lander homicide case

By Joshua Scheer, reporter, county10.com

(Lander, Wyo.) – Fremont County Circuit Court Judge Robert B. Denhardt in Lander has placed a gag order on the release of information, including names, related to last Tuesday’s homicide. After repeated requests for a copy of the order, an official copy was produced Monday, Sept. 17th by the Fremont County and Prosecuting Attorney’s office in Lander, almost one week to the day after the crime.

“While the case is pending in Circuit Court, neither the names of the alleged actor or the victim of the charged offense nor any other information reasonably likely to disclose the identity of the victim shall be released,” the restriction order states.

The order states the Fremont County and Prosecuting Attorney’s office moved to restrict disclosure through the use of Wyoming Statute 6-2-319. The specific statute allows for names to be withheld in cases involving sexual assault.

The order was signed on Sept. 11 and is to “remain in effect until further order of the District Court,” the document states.

Last week, Lander Police Chief Jim Carey said the victim of the shooting was a 32-year-old Ethete man and the suspect is a 24-year-old Lander man.

Three crime scenes were involved, Carey said: a 729 N. Second St. residence, a vehicle and a residence on Four Seasons Drive.

Police were called at 3:12 a.m. on Sept. 11 for a report of a man with a single gunshot wound to the head at the North Second Street residence.

LPD has not released any additional information about the investigation, except that the crime scenes were released from police custody on the afternoon of Sept. 12.